Popular White Sox slugger and broadcaster Bill Melton has died at the age of 79

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CHICAGO – Bill Melton, a towering figure in Chicago White Sox history both as a hard-hitting third baseman and a longtime broadcaster, died Thursday morning in Phoenix after a brief illness. He was 79.

Melton, nicknamed “Beltin’ Bill,” played in the major leagues for 10 years, debuted with the White Sox in 1968 and became the franchise’s first player to hit 30 home runs in a single season.

In 1971, he made history again by leading the American League in home runs, a feat achieved by only one other player in White Sox history. In 10 MLB seasons with Chicago, California and Cleveland, Melton hit 160 home runs and drove in 591 runs.

“Bill Melton had two great careers with the White Sox,” said White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “He got his start as a celebrated home run king for White Sox teams in the early 1970s, where ‘Beltin Bill’ brought power to a franchise that played its home games in a pitcher-friendly stadium…popular and respected television analyst and after the game, where Sox fans saw his passion for the team every night, win or lose. Bill was a friend to many in the White Sox and around baseball, and his booming voice will also be missed.”

After his playing days, Melton returned to Chicago as a team ambassador and scout. In 1998, he became a fixture on White Sox broadcasts as a pregame and postgame analyst until his retirement in 2020. He also served as the team’s director of alumni relations, strengthening connections between past and current players.

Melton is survived by his wife Tess; his son Billy; his daughter Jennifer; a grandson; and numerous other family members.